Garik Loran
Garik "Face" Loran was a male Human Imperial holovid child star who joined the Rebel Alliance as a starfighter pilot and became a member of Wraith Squadron by Wedge Antilles. As part of the Wraiths' first assignments, Loran participated in the Zsinj campaign, helping in the New Republic's effort to defeat Warlord Zsinj. He flourished in the Wraiths, using his skills and talents at acting. Loran's posing as Captain Zurel Darillian lured Admiral Apwar Trigit into a trap at Ession which led to the destruction of the ''Implacable''. Later, Loran was called upon to adopt the persona of pirate General Kargin, the leader of the Hawk-bat Independent Space Force, in order to earn the confidence of Zsinj. Loran succeeded and the ruse led to the loss of the ''Executor''-class Star Dreadnought Razor's Kiss that Zsinj had attempted to abscond with. Based on his leadership and accomplishments, Loran eventually was promoted to captain and became the commander of the Wraiths after Antilles transferred back to Rogue Squadron. Also during this time he became romantically involved with fellow Wraith Dia Passik, whom he eventually married. When the New Republic Intelligence Service took over Wraith Squadron, Loran followed the unit over to Intelligence. He masterminded a plan to eliminate Imperial admiral Kosh Teradoc on Ryvester in 13 ABY, which also saw the rescue of gemologist Mulus Cheems. Loran served as commander of the Wraiths for many years, including through the entire Yuuzhan Vong War. He helped defend Borleias and infiltrate occupied Coruscant, along with Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade Skywalker, Tahiri Veila, and Danni Quee, the latter mission resulting in the successful elimination of the dangerous Dark Jedi Lord Nyax before the Dark Jedi could escape from the planet. Loran was present in the Battle of Yuuzhan'tar when the reorganized New Republic retook the planet from the Yuuzhan Vong, ending the war. Biography Childhood and early career A Pantolomin native of Lorrdian heritage, as a child Loran made thinly-veiled Imperial propaganda holodramas such as The Black Bantha, Jungle Flutes, and Win or Die—becoming in many ways the galaxywide poster child for Imperial recruitment. Sometime in his childhood acting career, Loran acquired the moniker "Face" for his comely appearance and it stuck with him the rest of his life. Kidnapped by an extremist cell that had been kicked out of the Rebel Alliance, his face was scarred when Imperial stormtroopers massacred his kidnappers in a rescue attempt. However, before his captors were killed, they gave him a thorough briefing in the atrocities committed by the Empire and Imperial Intelligence as a precursor to his planned execution. Loran used this occasion to disappear, leaving his fans to believe that he had died in the fight. His supposed death was used by the Empire to sully the image of the New Republic by blaming them for his death. Loran did decide to leave the scar, though, seeing it as a reminder of how much he had helped the Imperial cause. After the encounter, Loran quietly returned to his home on Pantolomin, where his parents later sent him to Lorrd, their homeworld, while publicly maintaining the death of the famous holostar. As a youth on Lorrd, he took the alias of Kal zet Berri and was taken in by the governor of Lorrd, Zenobia le Ingiana, as a favor to Loran's parents. He attended the Sebs Jemas Flight School in Lorrd City and was already considering joining the Rebel Alliance. During his stay on Lorrd, he occasionally visited a starship dealership in the city of Qatamer, Hart and Parn Starships, as he was interested in starfighters. On one such visit, Loran climbed into an R-22 Spearhead starfighter and played a trick on a pair of nearby children about his age by activating the starfighter's targeting system, scaring them. He then climbed out of the starfighter and introduced himself to them, though shortly thereafter, the three were escorted from the premises due to Loran's shenanigans. Upon reaching maturity, Loran used his own money to purchase his own A-wing starfighter and joined the New Republic, where he was assigned to Colonel Edor Crespin's Comet Squadron. After being forced to eject to avoid a proton torpedo, Loran bought an X-wing "for variety" but ended up at the same base Crespin commanded. The colonel considered Loran's previous Imperial filmwork a disgrace; a resulting altercation between the two resulted in Loran insulting Crespin, leaving little hope for the former actors' piloting career. He had a brief relationship with a female lieutenant at the Academy which included him being locked out of his quarters naked as a practical joke. Though Loran played off the joke, he was still written up and had to clean everyone's boots for graduation. The actor was a poor fit in the disciplined life of military command and charges of insubordination dogged his career. In truth, Loran despised himself for furthering the Imperial cause and projected his own self-loathing towards authority of any kind. Wraith Squadron In 7 ABY Loran found a last chance as New Republic starfighter pilots Wedge Antilles and Wes Janson began building the starfighter-commando hybrid squad that would become known as Wraith Squadron at Folor Base. The candidates Antilles and Janson recruited were largely those facing the end of their career due to disciplinary failures or impending court-martial. Loran did well in squadron training, scoring second in the rankings behind demolitions expert Kell Tainer. Once the squad was assembled, Flight Officer Loran earned the designation Wraith Eight. He quickly became friends with his wingman Ton Phanan, a medical doctor who was almost as bitter as Loran was. Charade When Imperial Apwar Trigit arrived over Folor to attack the base, Loran helped sound the alarm, and participated in the subsequent ambush against Trigit's TIE Fighters that he sent against the base. Loran, who already had four kills to his name from his prior service, scored two more, becoming an ace in his first engagement with the Wraiths. The Wraiths, who had avoided any casualties in the engagement, jumped out of Folor base, only to have the entire squadron disabled by an empion mine planted by Trigit's forces in the midst of an asteroid field. With one X-wing permanently disabled and hostiles likely to show up soon, Loran suggested leaving the craft behind with a pilot in a jury-rigged pilot's chair with a laser rifle. When their attackers pulled in the debris from the attack, the pilot could protect himself. The idea evolved until they had left Wraith pilot Voort saBinring in a shielded compartment pulled from their [[Lambda-class T-4a shuttle|''Lambda-class shuttle]], ''Narra'', with a small repulsorlift and a stripped-down laser cannon. When the corvette ''Night Caller'' arrived, saBinring was pulled into the ship and hit the bridge with the crude laser cannon weapon, killing the captain. Once the rest of the squadron burst from cover in their freshly repaired X-wings, the corvette quickly surrendered, and Antilles decided to have them pose as the Night Caller crew, as they had learned that Trigit was unaware of the capture of the ship. Loran, with his talents in acting and disguise, posed as both "Lieutenant Narol" with the aid of some impromptu prosthetics for a disguise and Captain Zurel Darillian. The Wraiths visited Viamarr 4, where Loran had his first performance and was able to learn that Zsinj was setting up businesses under fake names on signatory worlds to generate resources and income. The deception became more complex when Jesmin Ackbar and Eurrsk Thri'ag used Darillian's holorecorded diary to generate an overlay of Darillian over Loran, generating a life-like holograph of the captain over Loran's words and movements. The Night Caller next visit was to Xartun, where Loran revealed the location of a transparisteel manufacturing plant, which the other Wraiths later blew up after the disguised Loran left. Loran also helped fight against a group of pirates on M2398 after negotiations soured, delivering the eulogy of Jesmin Ackbar after she was slain in combat. Shortly afterwards, Loran employed his acting skills in a different manner when he and fellow Wraiths posed as members of Talon Squadron, Wraith Myn Donos's first command, to help Donos snap out of the catatonia brought upon him by the destruction of Talon Squadron in an Imperial trap. The next day, Loran had his first conversation as Darillian with Zsinj via holocomm. The warlord instructed him to aid Apwar Trigit in finishing off the survivors of Folor Base—ironically, Loran was one of those survivors. Zsinj also instructed them to rendezvous with a supply ship. To avert having to let the crewmen onto their ship, Loran and the other Wraiths conducted a mission to Storinal to steal biological agents and TIE fighters, where Loran posed as a stereotypical country idiot from Agamar. Using the agents, they infected the supply ship's shuttle with Bunkurd Sewer Disorder, preventing a rendezvous for fear of contagion. Trapping the Implacable After a quick raid on Todirium III in the Night Caller, Trigit instructed "Darillian" to meet him to attack Talasea, where Rebel forces were believed to be congregating. Arriving in-system, the Wraiths realized that Trigit had figured out the trap and dropped the Implacable out of hyperspace prematurely, leaving the frigate Provocateur and the corvette Constrictor for the Wraiths to engage. At the ensuing Battle of Talasea, Loran invented a tactic that came to be known as the "Loran Spitball," in which a group of X-wings would fire a salvo of proton torpedoes while still in their carrier's bow hangar, providing an unexpected addition to a ship's firepower in the opening moments of battle. Loran was heading towards his fighter when Night Caller took a hit that destroyed the bridge, leaving Loran to take over the ship from the auxiliary bridge. The Wraiths defeated the two other ships in the following engagement, and Loran was promoted to lieutenant for his actions. Following a hasty refit, the Night Caller headed out to again try and trap the Implacable. Loran convinced both Zsinj and Trigit that they had barely escaped an ambush and that they should attack the Rebels at Ession. Upon their arrival in that system, Loran had to give another improvised performance, almost blowing his assumed identity when Admiral Trigit discovered he was unfamiliar with the Imperial Intelligence term "follow best". However, Loran delivered an impromptu speech detailing "Darillian's" supposed love for Intelligence Director Ysanne Isard, impressing the Admiral and allowing Night Caller to gain a critical launch point for the next engagement. In the Battle of Ession, Loran flew in his X-wing with the Wraiths and the Night Caller against Zsinj, with the aid of Rogue Squadron, General Horton Salm's Green Squadron of BTL Y-wing starfighters, and General Crespin's Blue Squadron of A-wings. The Night Caller executed the Loran Spitball against the Implacable, weakening the vessel while Antilles put the ship into a dust cloud on Ession's moon, hiding it from the Star Destroyer. After a long engagement, the Wraiths destroyed the Implacable, though they lost Thri'ag and Falynn Sandskimmer and several pilots were forced to eject. For his part, Loran scored kills on the Implacable TIEs and also helped torpedo the Destroyer. After the battle, the Wraiths received leave on the planet Borleias. Personality and traits Loran bore a lot of guilt for his time serving the Empire as a child actor, blaming and burdening himself with his past, and this reflected in his career in the form of insubordination and insolence. The stigma from his past affected him until his friend and wingman Ton Phanan was able to convince him to let go of the guilt, as his "debt" existed only in his mind. However, Loran did not usually let this guilt show through, maintaining an actor's calm and laid-back countenance even while flying missions or delivering a eulogy. This demeanor helped him remain cool and collected in harrowing situations, and he was quickly promoted to captain from flight officer for his leadership ability. He was also a joker, and considered one of the two smart mouths in the Wraiths by his fellow pilots, taking great delight in numerous jibes and jests. Loran took especial delight in joking around with Luke Skywalker during the Yuuzhan Vong War, and did so throughout their mission to Coruscant. As a veteran intelligence officer following the Second Galactic Civil War, Loran still used his actor's ability to convincingly portray emotions when interviewing possible assets. Loran was also a skilled operative, capable of faking his death, arranging multiple ruses, and participating in complicated plots of subterfuge. He was known to both subvert authority and suspect almost everyone, at times including his superiors. Loran did not take kindly to forced retirement, viewing it unfavorably. He was a devoted husband and father, showing great concern of his wife and daughter. To the former he promised never to make extremely angry and when the latter started dating, he figured that if he'd had hair left at that point, it would have been grayed by those events. Relationships Loran was considered one of the most attractive human males in his youth and young female hearts across the galaxy were allegedly broken by rumors of his death. He would continue to use his recognition and childhood fame throughout his career. Dia Passik Dia Passik was a member of the Wraiths recruited after the destruction of Implacable. She was initially hostile to Loran, resisting his attempts to charm her, but eventually fell for the Lorrdian pilot. The two developed a relationship, especially after he prevented her from committing suicide. The relationship was beneficial to both of them, helping Passik relax with her new unit and enabling Loran to become more open towards his fellow pilots while recovering from the death of Phanan. By 44 ABY, Loran and Passik had married. Loran adopted Passik's daughter Adra and was devoted to his new family, showing great concern when they were placed in danger. Appearances *''X-Wing: Wraith Squadron'' *''X-Wing: Iron Fist'' *''X-Wing: Solo Command'' *''The New Jedi Order: Star by Star'' *''The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream'' *''The New Jedi Order: Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand'' *''The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way'' *''The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force'' * *''X-Wing: Mercy Kill'' Notes and references Category:Actors Category:Agents of the Galactic Empire Category:Humans Category:Impersonators Category:Males Category:New Republic Intelligence personnel Category:Wraith Squadron personnel